Batting Cage Not a Hit With City

William Hudson may be down to his last swing with Fountain Valley city fathers.

So far, the aerospace engineer has been shut out in his bid to gain city approval for a 12-foot-high, 68-foot-long enclosed baseball batting cage that he built behind his Aster Circle house.

In February, Hudson spent $1,110 to buy netting and build the back yard cage so his eight children can hit baseballs, play catch and kick soccer balls without fear of lofting one over a neighbor’s fence or--even worse--through a window.

The cage itself passes city building and safety standards, and it is partly hidden from sight on at least two sides by several rows of tall trees.

But the five-member Planning Commission--prompted by a complaint from a few neighbors--ruled recently that the cage is inappropriate for a neighborhood of single-family homes. The cage, the commissioners said, must come down.

“I wanted a place where my kids could play out of the street,” Hudson said Monday of his children, ages 4 to 18. “In my mind, it’s no different than putting up a swing and a slide.”

Hudson, who has owned the two-story home just west of Mile Square Park for 10 years, can appeal to the City Council for $125. But he’s not sure he wants to battle the council if he’s only going to be shut out again.

Hudson and his wife, Eleanor, said the back yard batting cage had been a long-held dream of their baseball-crazed boys. The couple warmed to the idea after tiring of errant throws and line drives.

And after one of the couple’s four boys was hit, but not seriously injuried, by a motorcycle while playing in the street in front of their house, Hudson went to work designing the cage, which fills the family’s narrow back yard.

Once built, it was an instant hit. Last spring, during the height of the Little League and high school baseball seasons, there was rarely a time when one of the Hudson siblings wasn’t pitching batting practice to a brother or even a sister.

Two of Hudson’s boys, Brian, 16, and Joseph, 14, played ball last year at Mater Dei High School.

“We’d get home from practice about 5, and hit balls until 7 or 7:30 at night,” said Brian, between swings Sunday. “It has been great. . . .”

But now the city wants to silence the Hudson bats, primarily because officials contend that the cage is not “aesthetically appropriate” for the neighborhood, Hudson said.

John McKnight, vice-chairman of the Planning Commission, said it was strictly a zoning issue.

“It is not an appropriate accessory use in a residential zone,” McKnight said. “Listen, we hated to turn them down. They are a neat family. And the cage itself is well done.” He said about 35 neighbors signed a petition in support of the cage, while about six others objected.

“But we can’t bend the guidelines--even once,” he added. “If you start doing that, you’re asking for trouble.”

Several months ago, McKnight said, another Fountain Valley homeowner sought permission for a large skateboard ramp in the yard. But on similar grounds, the Planning Commission rejected that request, and the decision was upheld by the council.

“I know its a tough decision,” Hudson said. “It’s not aesthetically pleasing to everybody, I am sure. But to me its beautiful. I see my kids out there playing and practicing. They are safe, out of the street and away from negative elements, like drugs. It’s wonderful.

“I think the city is setting a bad precedent for kids.”

Hudson said Brian and Joseph hope to earn baseball scholarships to help pay for college, and the batting cage is essential to developing their skills.

But city officials told Hudson at a recent Planning Commission hearing that the family should consider using nearby Mile Square Park, not the back yard, as a training headquarters. Hudson’s wife, however, says that the park is not always safe, particularly for younger children.

The couple plans to discuss with city officials ways of modifying the configuration of the cage, to see if a compromise can be reached. Short of a settlement, Hudson said he will either appeal his case to the council or remove the cage.

“I think we’re down to our last out,” he said. “But it’s not over yet.”